Brake for railroad-cars



F. ARMSTRONG.

Car Brake.

Patented Aug. 9, 1859.

Witnesses:

Inventor,

AM. PHOTO-LITHD. C0. N-Y- (OSBORNE'S FRCCiSS.)

UNITED STATES OFFICE.

FRANCIS ARMSTRONG, OF NEW ORLEANS. LOUISIANA.

BRAKE FOR RAILROAD-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 24,981, 'dated August 9, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS Anns'raono, of the city of New Orleans, State of Lousiana, have made a new and useful Improvement in Automatic and Variable Balanced Brakes for Railroad-Cars; and I hereby declare the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification, the same letters being used to designate the same parts shown in the different figures.

Figure 1 is a top view of the car. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation taken from line, 9, in Fig. 1. These figures show the arrangement when, and as attached to the car frame. Figs. 3, 4, and 5, show the same in detail, and will be referred to in the explanation with the others.

The adjusting preparatory to brake, is made when the locomotive draws on the coupling in the act of starting the train. Soon as this adjustment is made, the movements of the coupling ceases to act on the parts adjusted, until the time required for the train to be stopped-consequently, such parts are exempt from a useless action on them in the mean time.

The force used to brake, is taken from the pressure on the coupling, by the cars coming together when the speed of the locomotive is decreased. This as a whole, in some instances is too much to be used on the brakes. Butby the use of levers which yield to the excess of pressure on the coupling, the amount on the wheels can be obtained uniform, or comparatively so. The weights on the levers, by being changed in position allows a diiference in braking force to be used, the levers also filling a double purpose, in their movements, protecting the apparatus from more force from the coupling acting on it, than that conveyed to the brakes. The truck being mounted similar to the arrangement for the common hand brake, in this instance the force being applied in the same manner, a draw on a lever, mounted to the truck. The connection to this lever being made by a chain, the flexibility of which will allow thetruck to move without having its motion communicated to the apparatus, during the time the train is in motion; and when the brakes have to be applied to stopthe position of the truck is continuous, equally correct in this instance, as would be for the use of the hand brake.

To the coupling, K, is attached the bar, I), which moves in guide, 6, mounted to the two center frames of the platform, (Z. The bar, 6, moves in a longitudinal direction with the coupling; but in their attachment should not be rigid, to insure the guide, 6, controlling its movement otherwise. In this bar is a mortise, and in the mortise is a movable plate, 0, suspended by a pin at its upper end, and rests against the back end of the mortise, which supports the plate when a pressure is acting in the reverse edge. The mortise is made long enough to allow the plate to swing, and yield from any force acting against the reverse edge, or the edge farthest from the coupling. On the bar, Z), is a stationary arm, a, which extends down, and between the branches of the tongues, t, as seen in Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 shows the arrangement more definitely, although the bar, 6, is supposed to be removed; but the position of arm, a, between the tongues, is set forth by the letter, a, when the bar is in its position, as seen by the other figures. The hooks of the tongues are represented to be open, for the purpose of allowing, a, to pass between them without catching. To the frames, (Z, is attached the frame, f, which contains the tongues and their springs, s, s, to hold the tongues open, as seen in this Fig. 4, by pressing againsttheir reverse ends from the hooks. The hooks are closed by the latch, O, being actuated on by the plate, 0, as the coupling is drawn out. The arrangement of the latch is seen in Fig. 3, mounted to the frame at c, and extending up between the tongues.

Fig. 5 shows the latch, having an angular point, which fits a corresponding angular groove made by the two sides of the tongues when together. On one side of the latch is a projection, that extends over one side of the tongues, marked, t, which has an incline plane. As the plate, 0, sets down the latch, its projection comes behind the incline plane, so, when the tongues are moved back, it slides under the projection, and lift-s the latch.

The tongues are attached to bars 7L, and 2, which form their supports, and guides, in their moving in their respective mortises. In the frame f, on each side is mortise, X, having its lower side on a level with the Ill upper side of the tongues, in which the bar, h, moves. The bar, a, is in mortise, .2, made in the bottom of f. This bar has its ends turned up to rest against, 72,, making thus a box for the tongues to move in freely on the bolts that attach them to the bars, and make their centers to move on. The end of bar, it, extends past the frame-ancl is attached -to links, a, which connect it at each end to the upper ends of armsym, which are mounted on bar, 1, the lower ends of, n, being joined by bar, 4), which ,isattached to the lever, P, on the truck frame, by a chain.

The frame, 7, has side projections, as seen by Fig. 5,.on which is hung levers, m, moving in guides, g, at their other ends, which is attached to frames, d, the levers having weights, m, that canbe placed on the levers at various positions, to change the force of leverage, by the chains, 71, actuated on by spindle, y, situated 011 the platform. The levers make the centers for bar, 9, to move in. As the tongues are set back by the arm, or, catching their hooks; this force being conveyed through arms, 92, to lever, P, is under the influence of weights, m, on levers, m,and when a greater force is setting back the coupling, than that due this leverage, the levers will rise and retain the pressure on the brakes uniform or comparatively so.

The movement of the tongues in sliding back, lifts the latch-leaves the only connection which prevents the hooks from opening, their being caught on arm, a, and the force of the weights after the levers are raised in guards, g. A relaxing of the pressure on the coupling, causes the arm, a, to move outward, and the weights to settle,

and when the levers have settled in their guides, their influence is lost in keeping up the hooks to the arm. Consequently, the springs, S, S, can exert their force in opening the hooks so, a, can pass between them, allowing the train to be backed without the brakes acting. The stud, between the front ends of the tongues, is for them to shut against, so their hooks will be held correct, so the arm, a, can pass them when open.

In the drawing out the coupling, by the locomotive starting the train, the plate, 0, setting down the latch below its own level,

and the manner the plate is hung in the mortise, all connection is suspended when the latch is set down, until the time required to back the train, and when this has been done, the connection is again broken until the locomotive draws out the coupling to start again.

I do not claim the adjusting, by the pull on the coupling. Neither do I claim using the force of pressure acting on the coupling to brake but I claim-- 1. Making the adjustment from the pull on the coupling, when actuating on distinctly detached partsnamely, the latch, 0, and tongues, t, when constructed and operated as, or substantially as described.

2. I also claim in combination the arms, a, bar, r, and levers, m, when arranged and operated substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

FRANCIS ARMSTRONG.

Witnesses:

A. GOMMANDANT, R0131. GLENNON. 

